Racing: Lazarus leads the charge

Lazarus wins Eynesbury Victoria Cup. Photo / Stuart McCormick

Lazarus might be the best pacer in the world but he won't be asked to prove it.

Because trainer-driver Mark Purdon says his piece of pacing perfection will never campaign in North America, even though he could potentially dominate there, like he did in Saturday's A$400,000 Victoria Cup.

Lazarus turned the 2240m mobile into an advert for his future stud career, blazing to a 12m win without being asked for his maximum.

His task was made easier by a second favourite Hectorjayjay being checked into a gallop early but it wouldn't have mattered as Lazarus was in front of him by that stage and tore around the Melton track in a 1:52.5 mile rate.

He becomes a rare four-year-old winner of the Victoria Cup and is now red hot for the A$1,050,000 treble of the Bonanza, Chariots Of Fire and Miracle Mile in the next month.

Purdon believes Lazarus is still working his way back to his jaw-dropping level of New Zealand Cup week and if he gets there by Miracle Mile night on February 25 he could go close to 1:47 for a mile.

It is a very realistic estimate considering Have Faith In Me set the Australasian record at 1:47.5 last season and Lazarus is racing to a higher level than his stablemate was then.

A 1:47 mile in the Southern Hemisphere would put Lazarus in the all-time greats of the sport anywhere in the world and it would be hugely tempting to give him his shot at North America next year, where feature race success could set him up as a dual hemisphere stallion.

But while that could be worth millions, Purdon says there is enough money to be won in this part of the world without the risk.

"I don't think he needs to go up there and risk the complications," he explains.

"He has some huge races to chase down here and his owners are loving racing him so we haven't even talked about the stud stuff yet."

If he can stay sound and he doesn't start thinking more about his love life than his track like, Lazarus could the horse harness racing has prayed for.

He was the captain of a near perfect Kiwi team at Melton on Saturday, with Vincent, Motu Meteor and Jack's Legend winning the three Victoria Derby heats while Have Faith In Me scored his first win since the Miracle Mile in a support race and Rocker Band gave trainer Barry Purdon two winner on the night from as many starters.

At the other end of the experience scale was young Canterbury horseman Sam Smolenski, who prepared Sunny Ruby to win the Dullard Cup with his first Australian starter.

She will now head to this Saturday's A$300,000 Great Southern Star against Speeding Spur, with Kiwi horses set to be hot favourites in all five group ones at Melton this week.